Coronavirus death toll rises to 8 in Iran: State media

Eight people in Iran have died from coronavirus, according to Iran’s health ministry, marking the first coronavirus deaths in the Middle East and highest death toll outside of China, the disease’s inception point.

There are now 43 confirmed cases of the illness in Iran, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told state TV. That’s a jump from a Saturday’s total of 28 confirmed cases and six fatalities.

Earlier in the day, Iran International media had put the death toll at 18, citing unnamed sources.

The government has responded by shutting schools in Qom and putting travel restrictions on citizens, but many Iranians have protested against what they see as an incompetent response amid parliamentary elections marred by low turnout.